FINDING COMMUNITY TO AID YOUR GARDENING
As I moved through my formative gardening years, I began to notice the plentiful opportunities to gather locally with other gardeners. While I have found massive benefits in belonging to various garden-based groups on Facebook, it wasn’t until I sucked up the nerve to attend my first meeting of the Canterbury Horticultural Society that I uncovered the real gold that I was missing out on.
I sat down the back of the lovely kiosk in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, well aware my red hair was intensely obvious among the muted-toned heads around me. The first presenter; Christine Blance of the Christchurch South Community Garden gave a truly insightful talk about their goals, sharing images of work parties, gatherings, community impact and the resulting fresh produce that was provided.
This session was then followed by Michael Coulter, delivering his informative, monthly rundown of the recent weather conditions and excellent tips on what could be done around a garden at this specific time of year.
There were no complicated, isolating words.
No questions were too simple.
The experience wasn’t what I had thought it to be at all! I realised immediately that the CHS was as relevant to me as a new gardener as it was to other members who’d had their hands in the earth their whole life.
But where were my fellow beginners?
Canterbury Horticultural Society members exploring the dahlia border at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens as part of a beginners guide to photographing your garden workshop that I ran in early 2023.
Childrens activities with the Canterbury Horticultural Society - Photo supplied.
Limited time is always the first factor in passing membership options by, and at various stages of their lives people are busy with work commitments, children’s commitments, young families and otherwise full lives. Time – and perhaps the fact that we can so readily source information in the sporadic moments available to us via our phones, the internet and the sofa at the end of a long day.
Is it that we feel we have less time than the generations above us did at the same age? Or is it just that, within our peer groups, there isn’t that lead to follow into clubs? When considering those I know in their thirties and forties, I would hazard a guess that if any did belong to a club, outside of their friendship groups, it would likely be related to sports, snow, wine or craft.
On one occasion I was invited to share my story of transforming from a non-gardener to an obsessed one at a meeting of the Friends of the Gardens, a volunteer group created to foster the important link between the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and the community, whilst also supporting the gardens team in maintaining this great public asset.
Once again, mingling with fellow gardeners, I was not only reminded of the powerful positivity a shared passion has in fostering connection but also the glaring fact that age should be no barrier. It is true that retirees have the opportunity to commit more time toward gathering or volunteering, hence why so many of these groups are attended by people senior to us. In this respect they also have more capacity to lend you their experience and advice and, to me, that’s the absolute advantage of it all! These multi-generational groups offer us newbie gardeners access to knowledge, support and enthusiasm that would be missing if we were surrounded by only our peers.
Flower arranging workshop in the Canterbury Horticultural Society Kiosk at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens - Photo supplied.
I, too, juggle my work and home responsibilities but have picked gardening as a passion I am willing to squeeze in. While I only slip into a CHS meeting every so often, I always leave feeling rewarded, inspired, and amped on improving my attendance.
In my experience, the gardeners above me provide all the answers to the sticky little questions I have about my own home plot. And I can only encourage other new gardeners to dip their feet in and slide into their local meeting too.
As someone who is very protective of her free time, I’d like to dismantle this fear of commitment that can act as a deterrent to club membership. Garden clubs, societies and groups of all shapes and forms present us with opportunities that we can simply match to the commitment we are capable of and the area of our interests.
For instance, the Canterbury Horticultural Society holds two meetings at the beginning of each month. One in the evening and, in an effort to be flexible, the other mid-morning. These meetings always involve invited speakers followed by garden advice and are just one part of a very active, wider offering of workshops and activities arranged by the society. All of these can also be attended by non-members, with a small fee.
Becoming a volunteer at a community garden will require occasional donated time and muscle, but in return, you will receive free mentorship and guidance, which you gain while building on your garden skills. No experience is required and the connections and learning are limited only by your availability.
Garden clubs are focused on arranging speakers, demonstrations or garden visits for their members while offering comradery and casual connections. These positives are invaluable to beginners that might not have people within their family or friendship groups who are also interested in growing.
Wondering how you might discover gardening clubs or societies nearby? A quick online search will bring up information about neighbourhood and regional garden clubs and community gardens in your area, right across the country. It’s probably not the sort of thing you will see promoted posts advertising on our Instagram feed and unless a friend pulls you in, it can be easy to miss their presence. But it would be such a shame to overlook their benefits to our own gardening adventure where local knowledge can be so easily garnered and some new friendships might spring from it.